PAWS is looking for motivated, detail-oriented, and versatile surgery veterinary technicians to join our medical team! We are Philadelphia’s largest animal rescue partner and provider of affordable veterinary care, offering wellness, sick, vaccination, and surgery services for a large and diverse caseload of in-house, foster, and client-owned animals. Our veterinary technicians are the backbone of our medical operations and participate in virtually all aspects of daily animal care. Surgery veterinary technicians prep, monitor, and recover animals in PAWS’ high-volume, high-quality spay and neuter clinics, dental procedures, and other soft tissue surgeries. They are cross-trained to assist with our client-facing wellness, sick, and vaccination appointments and in-house shelter animal medical services if needed.
 

Veterinary technicians interact regularly with the public, owned animals, foster parents, and shelter animals, and must strive to provide excellent customer service and positive experiences for these individuals at all times. Ideal candidates have a focus on animal welfare, are outgoing, patient, and flexible, and can get along well with a variety of people and animals.  Experience in an animal hospital, private veterinary practice, and/or shelter environment with a focus in surgery is required.

Benefits for veterinary technicians at PAWS include heavily discounted/at-cost veterinary care and pet food, as well as medical/dental insurance, 401(k) plan with employer matching, paid time off, and a budget for continuing education! Additional details below.
 

Primary Duties:

— Prepping owned and rescue animals for high-volume sterilization and other surgeries, including assisting veterinarians with physical exams, administering sedation, shaving, intubating, placing IV catheters, and aseptically scrubbing patients.

— Interpreting/Maintaining pre- and post-surgical paperwork to ensure all necessary services are provided.

— Administering and monitoring anesthesia.

— Recovering patients after surgery. 

— Maintaining drug and surgical logs.

— Cleaning and sterilizing surgical instruments.

— Maintain a clean and safe surgical suite.

— Treat all animals and people compassionately and respectfully, and handle animals in a safe, effective and humane manner at all times, including those who are sick, injured, larger and possibly untrained, aggressive, or feral. 

— Administer first aid treatments and medications to sick and injured animals

— Perform or prepare laboratory tests and diagnostics.

— Monitor animals’ conditions, rapidly identify and address any medical or behavioral conditions which might warrant veterinary attention, and work in cooperation with staff to attend to any immediate needs. 

— With sufficient notice, assist in wellness, sick, and vaccination appointments and with in-house shelter medical services when needed

— Euthanize animals as needed and appropriate under the supervision and direction of a veterinarian or the director of operations.

— Work courteously and cooperatively with staff and volunteers to ensure that all procedures and policies are followed.

— Other duties as assigned. 

 

Required Skills and Qualities:

— Minimum of two years of experience working in an animal hospital, private veterinary practice, and/or shelter. 

— Minimum of one year of experience prepping, recovering, and monitoring animals during surgery.

— Ability to read, write and understand English.

— Strong attention to detail; our patients’ health depends on accuracy and consistency in their medical treatment. 

— Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment without compromising patient care

— Computer proficient in Microsoft office and Google/G-Suite products, and proficiency or comfort with becoming proficient in all internet-based clinic management systems utilized by PAWS (ShelterLuv, Clinic HQ).

— Strong interpersonal, customer service, and verbal and written communication skills.

— Strong sense of initiative and ability to problem-solve, identifying tasks that need to be accomplished and prioritizing appropriately, working independently with minimal supervision and direction.

— Flexibility, maturity, and ability to manage multiple tasks and accommodate varied work assignments and schedules.

— Ability to communicate effectively with a culturally diverse staff, volunteers and community in a professional, respectful, courteous and tactful manner at all times.

— The ability to remain pleasant and calm even in stressful situations, including when delivering bad news and  turning people down firmly when necessary, without becoming aggressive or irritable.

 

Physical Requirements:

— Ability to work with and around animals, including those who are diseased, injured and/or stressed.

— Ability to walk and/or stand on your feet throughout a normal workday and tolerate loud noises.

— Ability to lift and move objects and animals weighing up to 50 pounds for short distances and to humanely restrain an animal when necessary.

 

Educational Requirements:

— High school diploma or equivalent is required.

— Post-secondary education in the veterinary sciences field is preferred but not required.

  

Work Location and Schedule: 

— This position is located at PAWS’ Low-Cost Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinic at 2900 Grays Ferry Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19146. 

— PAWS is open seven days a week. A minimum of 8 hours per day is required. Full time and part time positions available. Candidates must be available for shifts on Fridays and Saturdays. 

 

Compensation and Benefits: 

— Competitive salary, commensurate with experience.

— Medical, dental, and prescription insurance coverage for FT employees

— 401(k) plan with employer matching

— Nine (9) paid holidays per year for FT employees

— Generous paid time off (PTO) for FT employees

— Yearly Continuing Education allowance

— Free and heavily discounted clinic services, lab work, prescription diets, and medications for your personal pets

— Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

— Voluntary benefits (long- and short-term disability, life, and accident insurance)

 

Interested?
For more information or to apply, please email Natalie Smith, Director of Operations at, at natalie@phillypaws.org.

About the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS):
PAWS is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to saving Philadelphia’s homeless and at-risk pets and serving pet owners in need. PAWS is the city’s largest rescue partner and provider of affordable veterinary care for pet owners and rescue organizations that cannot otherwise access it. Each year, PAWS finds loving homes for thousands of animals in need and enables thousands more families to keep their cherished pets. Through rescue efforts, community support, and surrender prevention, PAWS is working to make Philadelphia a place where every savable pet is guaranteed a home.